Tunnel van sneeuw, Telemarken, Noorwegen 1892

This photograph of a snow tunnel in Telemarken, Norway, was taken by Richard Andvord. It's made using a chemical process—most likely albumen print—popular at the time for its sharp detail and tonal range. Look closely at the cavernous tunnel, its rough, undulating walls crafted entirely by natural forces. Two figures stand in the distance, one leading a horse laden with goods. This journey through the snow becomes a testament to human perseverance, to the sheer labor required to traverse such landscapes. The photograph itself is an artifact of that era, reflective of a time when the medium was still relatively new, and when the recording of landscapes had a particular cultural resonance. These images served to document not only geographical realities, but also the relationship between humans and their environment. The very act of taking this photo, developing, and printing it, speaks to a different pace of life, a slower, more deliberate mode of production. It prompts us to consider the amount of work embedded in the image, bridging the gap between what we traditionally call fine art and the realm of craft and labor.